User:Vkurbatova

I grew up in Donetsk, Ukraine - a city which is currently occupied by Russia. I studied engineering at Lutsk State University, Ukraine and graduated with honors receiving Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees. After graduation I came to USA and started working as a designer at Civil engineering company, in couple of years I have been able to evaluate my diplomas, get professional references from my supervisors, pass two 8-hour exams and get a Professional Engineer license. Currently I am serving as a project manager at Fairfax County Park Authority. I am managing assigned projects from concept through project close-out, implementing daily coordination with utility companies, customers, reviewers from internal and external agencies, determining the applicability of various federal, state, and County statutes, codes, and ordinances such as the Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance. I am also working closely with supervisors' offices and private citizens to facilitate efficient processing of applications, permits and other inquiries.

I consider myself a life-time learner and utilize every opportunity to expand my knowledge in professional and social fields. I continue taking classes to maintain my VA Professional Engineer license, Fairfax County Designated Plan Examiner certification and Envision Sustainability Professional Certification. I am also organizing yearly Fairfax County Jurisdictional courses for civil engineers who are obtaining Engineers and Surveyors Institute Designated Plan Examiner Certification. My professional aspiration is to develop Smart Cities technologies in Fairfax County. I am maintaining a high level of awareness of developments in Smart City technology by conducting research, attending Smart Cities conferences and workshops. While working at Fairfax County SDID I was part of the team that wrote Smart Cities Readiness Grant Application. As a result, our jurisdiction made it to the list of top 10 finalists and Smart Cities Council organized Smart Cities workshop tailored specifically for Fairfax County. Workshop took place on March 19, 2018 at Fairfax County Government Center and was attended by representatives of both public and private sectors. About 150 stakeholders have participated in the Smart Cities workshop that assisted county in planning and developing holistic, synergistic approaches for improving outcomes.

My short-term goals include: popularizing and implementing Smart Cities technologies in Fairfax County, establishing network connections with all representatives of private and public sector administrators; participating in a process of learning various skills needed for a supervising position in public sector like project management strategy, conflict resolution techniques, budgeting tools, leadership skills. My long-term goal is to combine my technical background including bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering, 5 years of extensive work experience in Fairfax County, 14 years of experience in a private sector as a design engineer and technical manager with skills and knowledge provided by George Mason University Master of Public Administration program. Above all I desire to secure my ability to participate in our country's effort to renovate deteriorating infrastructure, to develop new environmentally-friendly projects, to build communities that will concentrate on providing better quality of life for each group of population: young professionals, retiring people, growing families, people with disabilities. I believe that studying the course of Collaborative Public Management will help me achieve those goals.